Okay. If you got past the title on this one, you’d probably thing “sounds kinky, and not likely to be fun.” For those of you who are wondering what a “sea cock” or “through hull” is, it’s a tap/pipe fitting that covers up a hole in a boat allowing water (typically) to be taken in or dumped out. For example, there is a sea cock / through hull to pull water into the engine to cool it. There is also one for the sink to drain out. These are arguably necessary holes in one’s boat.
The problem here is that a sea cock is a hole in the boat. If the fitting fails, there is a distinct possibility that the boat will SINK — an unnerving thought at the best of times. I’ve been paying attention to Pearl’s through hulls after recently figuring out that her bilge pumps will not keep her afloat if one fails. I’ve had to replace one sea cock already as a result of a cracked nut, so I think that I should replace the rest with more robust models that and install backing plates to make them more secure.
Here’s a picture of the some of Pearl’s sea cocks without backing under the sink in the head ( a.k.a. toilet) along with the infamous shower pump.
There’s a pretty good article of how to install backing on though hulls at Jamestown Distributors. It’s something to think about the next time you pull your boat to get it painted.